Drifters Overpowered by AppleSox 11-1
Austin Takahashi running in from left field in a game against the Bellingham Bells on June 6. (Photo by Alan Fox)
By Dillon Zamperin
WENATCHEE, WA — With an exciting series-opening victory against the Wenatchee AppleSox (7-3, 6-2) on Tuesday night, the Springfield Drifters (3-8, 1-5) were looking to come out with the same momentum in the second game and win their first series of the year.
However, as the game went on, winning appeared to be less and less likely as the Drifters’ hitting could not keep up with the AppleSox offense, falling to Wenatchee 1-11. A combination of poor performances on the mound and the plate led to the 10-run differential in a game Springfield will want to forget.
Graduate left-hander Aiden Gebhard started the game but failed to record an out in the fourth inning, allowing five runs on four hits on 57 pitches. In his longest outing in over a year, the Northwest Nazarene two-way player struggled with the long ball, allowing two home runs in the fourth inning alone, which ultimately took him out of the game.
Applesox’s designated hitter Nikko Paoletto and left fielder Kainoa Santiago did the home run damage, scoring three of the five runs Gebhard allowed.
Fourth-year Drifter Blake Stavros of Bushnell University relieved Gebhard but was not as clean as usual, allowing two runs in two innings on two hits. After Stavros, it was junior Cade Schumard, currently in the transfer portal, who was tabbed with the next two innings. Schumard put up a near-identical stat line to Stavros, giving up two runs on two hits in two innings.
“Lots of small victories tonight. Kudos to Gebhard because this is his first time on any kind of extended pitching in years,” Pitching Coach Dean Stiles said. “Cade Schumard pitched really well and threw quite a few strikes tonight. Blake Stavros experimented with a different arm angle, and it was successful. There’s always gonna be some small victories that we’re going to take away from this, and that’s what we’re going to build on.”
Redshirt junior Austin Takahashi, who last pitched on April 20, 2025, with Lane Community College, found his way back to the mound in Wednesday’s loss, pitching the bottom of the eighth after a pinch-hit strikeout in the top half of the inning. The outfielder-turned-reliever also let up two runs in one inning of work, but still managed to strike out two Applesox batters.
“We were in a situation there where we were saving pitching,” Stiles said. “He saved a couple of other arms for tomorrow. That’s exactly what we wanted.”
On the mound, Drifters pitchers struggled to find the zone, as hit-by-pitches were a source of many issues for Springfield, but runs for Wenatchee. AppleSox second baseman Matt Torres was hit in four straight at-bats by all four Drifters pitchers, resulting in two runs scored. The Drifters also walked five batters in the 10-run loss.
“I’ll be honest, if one of our guys hits somebody, I’m okay with that because that means they’re trying to pitch inside and get guys off balance. Once in a while, one will get away. Those free bases I can live with,” Stiles said. “The walks I can’t necessarily live with.”
Freshman catcher Drew Holman logged his first hit and RBI of the season at the plate in the eighth inning, breaking an 0-for-17 streak to start the summer. The line drive single scored first baseman Nolan Miller, who also reached base on a single and scored the only run for the Drifters.
Another freshman, Harrison, recorded his first hit of the summer in the second inning, with a single to left-center field. The freshman finished the night going 1-for-3 before being pinch-hit for in the eighth.
“This is all about development and kids getting better and gaining confidence,” Stiles said. “For them to be able to do that, that’s gonna carry over down the stretch as we play and give them the confidence that they can compete at this level. I was proud of that.”
Despite not recording a hit, junior designated hitter Colton Perez remained a threat at the plate, walking twice in three plate appearances. The two-way player, who is awaiting his next team while in the transfer portal, is now up to five walks on the year and his first since Saturday.
“Offensively, we weren’t as good as we were last night. We didn’t take advantage of putting the ball in play, and we were affected by that,” Stiles said. “But at the same time, a couple of guys took some good swings, and we’re going to build on that for tomorrow.”
The Drifters will close out the rubber match with reigning WCL Pitcher of the Week Tristan Ledbetter taking the mound against the AppleSox on Thursday night, where Springfield will once again look to win its first series of the year.
“[Ledbetter] has been nothing but spectacular every time he’s gone out,” Stiles said. “He’s gonna pound the zone, and we’re going to challenge guys. Hopefully, we can make plays and have a little bit better result.”
First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. in Wenatchee.